A friend of mine recently left his job – Director Level – over ten years with the same organization – had not looked for a job since he graduated from college. We were talking about the job search process and he looked at me and said “can’t I just hire someone to do this for me?”

There are people in the world who will offer to do just that. There are recruiters (aka head hunters), search firms, employment agencies, placement firms, placement consultants, staffing agencies, and temporary placement firms. All of these want to help you find your next job. You just have to understand the risks.

The primary thing to keep in mind, is that virtually all of these are for-profit businesses that make money from either you or the organization that hires you. Therefore, their goal may not always be to find you the best job for you, their goal is to fill the job so they get paid.

There are two basic types of head hunters – retained search firms and contingency search firms. Retained firms are hired by the organization to find the best candidate for the organization. They are typically paid a percentage of the new hire’s annual salary (usually 30-35%) plus expenses and they typically do good work. Because of the expense, retained search firms usually are only hired for bigger jobs (executive level jobs). The best ones know that their long-term success comes from placing candidates who will be successful, which will garner them additional business.

Contingency search firms are not “hired” by anyone. They attempt to match candidates with jobs, but they are only paid if the organization hires someone they introduce to the organization. For many of these firms, the key to their success is volume and they will send as many candidates to an organization as possible in hopes that one of them stick. Contingency firms usually charge a fee of 20-25% of the new hire’s annual salary.

Placement firms, temporary firms, and contacting agencies are the other major players in the employment market. They hire workers and place them in positions with their clients. Depending on the nature of the work, those placements could be for several hours and up to several years. The understanding could be that the employee will always work for the agency, or that they are temp-to-hire, meaning the organization can “test drive” the worker, and if they are successful, hire that person from the agency. These firms may provide a full benefit package to the employees, or they may simply pay them. For temporary placement and/or temp-to-hire, these firms will typically mark the employees’ salary up 50% to cover their cost and margins – so if they are paying the worker $10 per hour, they charge the company $15.

Depending on the type of job you are looking for, the urgency of your search, and the industry that you are in, any of these options might be right for you. The higher you are in your organization, the more likely it is that you should introduce yourself to both retained, and contingency search firms so that they might be able to match you with one of their clients. If you work in IT, contract-to-hire placements are becoming the normal method for find a job.

My primary message is for to understand that while any or all of these organizations might help you, their goal is not to help you, but to make money from that transaction. Using an agency can be a great arrow for your quiver, but it should not be your only arrow. Talk to recruiters and agencies and understand your options, but don’t wait for them to find you a job. Instead, network, research, apply and conduct your own search, while they do theirs, and hopefully everything will come together quickly.

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If you want more advice on how to write a resume, how to network, or just how to find a job, check out I’m Fired?!? A Business Fable about the Challenges of Losing One Job and Finding Another. Now available in both print and eBook formats!Click here for more details.

Yesterday we talked about remembering 2015. I hope you did that and celebrated how far you’ve come in life.

Okay, now spin your chair around 180° and let’s look into the future. What does 2016 hold and how are we going to be prepared for it? Inc. Magazine asked people what they wanted to accomplish in 2016. The number one answer was to enjoy life to the fullest (read the full list here). Your resolution might be to find a job -not just any job – the right job.

If finding that new, better job is one of your resolutions, allow me to make a few suggestions to increase your likelihood of success.

Make a plan – Regardless of what your resolution is, there are three things you can do that will help you live it: 1) write it down, 2) include milestone dates and measures, and 3) make it public. For your job search, set goals for how many people you are going to network with each week, how many emails and phone calls you will need to set up those networking meetings, how many new companies you will to research, etc. Remember, looking for a job should be a full time job. Make a plan that uses 8 hours a day – productively – two finding that best job then share that plan with a few key supporters – maybe even post it on Facebook.

Network – I can almost guarantee that you will not get that next BEST job, unless you network. My suggestion is that each week you meet 5-10 people you have never met before, tell them your story, and ask for their help. You will be amazed and what happens.

Be prepared – Every time you go to a meeting or an interview, be prepared. Have your polished resume and target list with you. Know as much as you can about who you will be talking to and the job/company you are interviewing for. Be sure to have and practiced (aloud) your answers to common interview questions.

Be thankful – Say thank you – send thank-you notes – let people know how much you appreciate their time, their energy, their encouragement. Even when you don’t think they were very helpful, thank them.

Be persistent – The economy is rebounding. There are more jobs available, but I still tell people to plan for their search to take one month for every $10,000 in annual salary they hope to earn. A $50k job might take 5 months to find. Not any $50k job – but the right $50k job for you. Plan the work, and work the plan.

If you are reading this blog thinking “but I don’t know how to do these things,” then you’ve come to the right place. Search this blogs for tips on all of these subjects. Or, buy the book (see below). Or read someone else’s book or blog. The help is there – the jobs are there – we just need to get you connected with one of them.

Speaking of resolutions – I resolve to help you find that next-best job in 2016. Happy New Year!

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If you want more advice on how to write a resume, how to network, or just how to find a job, check out I’m Fired?!? A Business Fable about the Challenges of Losing One Job and Finding Another. Now available in both print and eBook formats!Click here for more details.

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